French Overseas Territories Minister Annick Girardin confirmed at least two people had been killed and another two seriously injured in St Martin and St Barts.

Earlier, Interior Minister Gérard Collomb said the hurricane had caused major floors, and destroyed buildings, including four of the “most solid” buildings on St Martin.

The most powerful Atlantic storm in a decade first hit Antigua and Barbuda, before moving on to Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy – the French holiday destination popularly known as St Barts.

Its “extremely dangerous core” is forecast by the US National Hurricane Centerto move over parts of the northern Virgin Islands on Wednesday, passing near or just north of Puerto Rico, then passing near or just north of the coast of the Dominican Republic on Thursday.

Thousands of people have been evacuated from at-risk areas across the Caribbean. Residents have flocked to shops for food, water, and emergency supplies, and airports have closed on several islands which are popular holiday destinations.

In the US, Florida’s Key West area has ordered a mandatory evacuation, with landfall expected at the weekend.

The French government said earlier it was worried about thousands of people who had refused to seek shelter on the islands.

Officials in the nearby French territory of Guadeloupe confirmed the following damage:

On St Barts, the fire brigade station has been flooded with a metre of water, with engines out of service and crews sheltering on an upper floor; there is a total power blackout; many roofs have been blown off

On Saint Martin, the prefecture building has been partially destroyed, with the prefect (chief officer) and 23 other people sheltering in a secure room; the fire station is out of order; there is a power blackout; several roofs at the police station have been blown off

In the Dutch territory, known as Sint Maarten, the airport has been closed with photos showing debris strewn across the departures area and outside.

There has been a total power blackout, streets are littered with debris, cars are underwater and boats in the ports have been destroyed, Dutch broadcaster NOS reports (in Dutch).

France’s interior minister said three emergency teams were being sent to the islands, two from France and one from Guadeloupe.

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